Gone all quiet in here has it?!

Hopefully we'll be out of the T20 now and can concentrate on the important stuff.



Not really sure what happened last night, we were all set to post a really big score then just seemed to let the innings die out, we never really recovered from Moore's early runs and it was obvious we'd lose from a few overs into Lancashire's response.



I lose more interest in T20 as each year comes by, last night we were surrounded by a ridiculous number of bell-ends ("supporters" of both counties), it's just not cricket.

It was horrendous wasn't it? Whereabouts were you sat? We were in A Stand but couldn't take it after the first innings and went to the top balcony where it was a) half empty and b) occupied by older people who were just enjoying the cricket and not the beer.



Cracking win in the end though after 9-10 overs of the Dark Side innings we were more than a bit worried.

We were on the upper tier of F Stand.



I was there with my mate who is one of you lot and we'd been chatting throughout the game in a civilised manner with a bit of gentle banter, after a few overs of the Lancs innings three lads seemed to finally twig that I was a Yorkshireman and then after every run would turn round shouting things like "easy" "who are ya" and "great single" in my face, often accompanied by a gobful of saliva flying everywhere, when I popped to the bar a guy who was in a group from Leeds sat a row or two behind me came over to me and said "if you want to smack that lad do it, if it kicks off we'll back you up all the way".



It was a kind offer but I politely declined!

And behold, the bad side of attracting new fans to cricket. County cricket needs T20 as it was a dying breed with just the 40/50 over stuff and the first class, but add beer and it gives the idiots in the football off-season an excuse to cause some new trouble.



Anyway, lost to Derbyshire again! FFS!

Even the Yorkies will not be pleased about Lancs losing today as Derbyshire have replaced them in the top 4.

You underestimate the antipathy that exists over here. We only briefly looked like making the four anyway. Not been good enough - simple as that.



Still, who's bothered when there's no Champions League for the winners anyway.

Surely Lancs must have a young bowler they could play instead of Powell,he must be the worst overseas signing ever by us,complete waste of space.

Ever is a big call when we've had players like Danny Morrison, Steve Elworthy, Nathan Astle, Sourav Ganguly, Joe Scuderi!! And he's not actually classed as an overseas player, he's classed as a Kolpak player too.



However, I would whole-heartedly agree with the first bit - and we do have alternatives. Why Kyle Hogg hasn't been picked in this format I don't know. Steven Cheetham is an excellent young bowler who never gets a game neither and the left-armer Gary Montgomery would be a better pick in the long-term than Powell who simply doesn't look interested.

Had you not added "by us" in there I would have seen your Darren Powell and raised you Tino "accuracy of a firehose" Best...

No no no no no!!



Tino has been like a re-incarnation of Malcolm Marshall in comparison to the Dazzler!



31 wickets v 13 wickets in all competitions in favour of Tino at much better averages too. Add in the fact that Tino at least looks like he can be ar+ed most of the time and you've clearly trumped us in the "past-it Windies" bowlers stakes.

Was Powell first choice as Lancs overseas player for this year?

Latest scores............



Durham: Yet to bat

Lancashire: 130-5 (45.5 overs)



Essex: 182-3 (47.5 overs)

Yorkshire: Yet to bat



Warwickshire: 96-4 (31.0 overs)

Nottinghamshire: Yet to bat



Lancs need a decent knock from Chanderpaul to pull them out the mire and Notts fielding a very strong bowling unit with Broad & Swann back to join Sidebottom & Adams. Looking at the weather forecast any team pushing for a win will probably need to do it in 2 1/2 days.

Latest scores at lunch on Day 3.............



Durham: 58-4 (21.3 overs)

Lancashire: 344 (101.3 overs)

Delayed

Rain stopped play



Essex: 399 (116.5 overs)

Yorkshire: 314-9 (107.5 overs)

Lunch



Warwickshire: 313 & 36-7 (16.2 overs)



Nottinghamshire: 389 (105.4 overs)

In Play



Stuart Broad has 7-22 off 9 overs.

. Don't think there's a cat in hell's chance that his skipper will pull him out of the attack whilst the 10-for is still on!





Lancs could do with it drying up as if they can force Durham to follow on they've got half a sniff at sneaking the win. If they don't it looks like a stonewall draw which will give Notts a huge lift. Yorks-Essex also looking like a draw so potentailly a pivotal 48 hours in the title race.

Still five sessions to play at Chelmsford, although there is a 30 percent chance of rain tomorrow according to the Met Office which means a contrived declaration might be needed to force a result either way in that game.



No more bonus points up for grabs though, so nothing to stop the two sides getting their heads together maybe over tea to talk about targets etc.

Essex set Yorkshire 369 to win in two and a half sessions - how very generous...



The other two games look like drifting into draws, just bonus points to play for in the Durham-Lancs game and Somerset running short of time to declare and bowl Kent out.



Could turn out to be a decent round of matches for both Yorks and Lancs in terms of picking up points on the opposition.

The Chase is on for Yorkshire, there have been some great finishes this year going for us and against us, will be listening closely for the next hour or so

At least Yorkshire are going for the win, unlike Lancashire who have settled for yet another freaking draw. No wonder we're unbeaten for over 12 months when we don't even try and set or chase testing targets. Not happy!!

We fell 33 short, great to see us having a go.



Hopefully Notts and Lancashire won't pick up too many points as we sit out the next round of games, then Notts come to Headingley which could be pivotal.

Glad to see no-one has mentioned last nights 20/20 quarter final. Let's stick to the proper cricket.

The Essex v Lancs game was a cracker, best 20/20 for a while and actually showed how well the format can work.

[url=http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/469486.htmlStuart Regan to leave Yorkshire[/url, they have obviously been doing a lot right in the last couple of years so hopefully this won't jeopardise things too much, the fact they are waiting at least six months before deciding if he needs replacing in the role worries me a little.

So Notts walloped by Somerset in one of their games in hand, it brings Somerset right into the race though.



Lancs looking good for at least a draw at Hampshire so it's not been too bad a week for us.

After a good start Lancs are drawing too many games to be in the title race this season.

Bresnan is in the England squad again, so he won't be available to play for us in the crucial game with Notts starting tomorrow - even though he's highly unlikely to figure in the test.



Ajmal Shahzad is available though.